Bedtime Story
by andinify
Summary: Future-fic. America is tucking her children into bed one night, along with an uncommon bedtime story to deliver. Yet little does she know, someone is watching all along. Mild fluff.


_**Disclaimer**__: Unfortunately, I own nothing of The Selection series/trilogy. Kiera Cass does, that much is obvious._

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She tucks the blanket up to her daughter's chin, kissing her lightly on the forehead. "Sleep tight, okay? I love you,"

The girl nods, whispering an I love you too as the blond curls so much like her father's bouncing along up and down. But right as America stands up and about to leave, she hears the small voice of her little princess calling her back. "Yes, sweetie?"

"How did you and daddy meet?" She asked with a yawn. America's brows rise up in amusement as she sits back down. She takes her time, though, contemplating whether to tell her daughter about the history of her and Maxon's or not. "It's a long story, sweetie. I'll tell you another time, alright?"

Yet the girl is just as thick-skulled as her mother she shakes her head stubbornly. "I want to know now, mommy. Please?"

Unable to say no, America opts to settle on the bed next to the little girl, but turns her head beforehand to look at the ten-year-old boy standing by the door, waiting. "You want to join too for a bedtime story, Zachary?"

The boy shifts on the ball of his feet, seemingly considering it before shrugging and joins her sister, plopping down on the other side of the bed his mother isn't currently occupying.

"Alright. So, once upon a time, years ago, there was a prince. When he reached nineteen, he was supposed to choose a girl out of thirty-five who were chosen from all over the country to be his wife. And then there was this girl, one of the poorest among those thirty-five lucky girls who entered the Selection, who surprisingly got in by accident, and probably the only one girl in the entire nation who did not desire to be the prince's wife."

"That girl was you?" Zachary asked incredulously. His mother laughed, "I hate to say it, but yes. That girl was me over than a decade ago. Now, may I continue?"

Zachary nods, an amused expression plastered on his face. "Apparently, the first time the prince met that girl, he fell for her at the first sight. Unfortunate for him, the girl didn't."

"Why? He was the prince, mom. Why wouldn't she like him?" Sarah, the little girl asked in her small, cute voice. Albeit heavy sleep evident in her eyes, she seems completely intrigued. America lets out a nervous laugh, sort of ashamed of what she has to say next. "Well, her heart was broken and still belonged by someone else from home at the moment."

The mouths of her children form the shape of 'o' as she says that, then lean closer to their mother. America takes a deep breath, then continues. "The prince knew about that, and still, he willingly gave the girl time to sort out her mind and heart, waiting for the moment when the possibilty of her falling for him the same way he did might surface. And as the time went by, the girl found the prince very kind, patient, charming and all other things girls in the whole world have ever dreamed of as a possibly-soon-to-be husband. She found herself falling for him, slowly but surely, even though sometimes she was still confused to tell where exactly her heart belonged. It was quite a long time, that she finally found it in her that she did love the prince. It's like a fire, a blinding bright flame that was very dim at the beginning, burning slowly inside her as it fought to break free before finally bursting into life."

She lets her gaze linger on each of her children's face, gauging their half-asleep-half-interested reaction before again proceeding. "A lot happened afterwards. The first love of the girl, the one who broke her heart showed up one time as a guard in the castle and made the girl even more confused with her feelings. But in the end, the girl settled her choice on the prince. He was everything she could ever ask for, even better. The prince was something beyond her imagination, in an ultimate good way. And even though there were still a few girls left in the Selection, the prince chose the girl at last. They got married shortly, had two kids and lived quite happily ever after."

By the time she finished, Sarah has already fallen asleep, while his elder brother is right in the verge of it. Gently, America moved Sarah to leave a slightly wider space for Zachary to lie on. As soon as both of them nestled comfortably under the comforter, she kissed their foreheads before tiptoeing out to the hallway.

What she was not expecting is to see Maxon, leaning against the wall right near the door. His tired face lit up as soon as he sees her walk out of their kids' room - or that's what she'd like to think. She smiles widely, giving a gentle peck on his lips afterwards.

A mischievous glint in his eyes make her pause as she brush a bang of hair on his forehead. "What is it?"

If anything, he grins wider. "Of all the bedtime stories you've told our children, I think I like that one best."

Her jaw falls open as realization dawns on her. Even though they've been married for over than ten years now, she's still kind of embarrassed if Maxon hears her recounting their story, albeit without any particular reason. "How much did you hear?"

His quiet laugh echoes in the hall where they're standing, thankfully not loud enough for the nearby guards to turn their heads. After all, what is not weird of having their king laughing hysterically in this such hour?

"Let's just say I've heard enough."

She sighs rather loudly. America cherishes every single time she gets now as a queen, not to mention Maxon's wife as well, in spite of the crazy stuff and mannerism she has to constantly uphold. Because let's face it: as long as Maxon's by her side, she'll be fine. Still, the first time their history was written in the fate, it wasn't exactly pleasant, what's with her coming by mistake and then Aspen's issue and all.

"Sorry I left out some of the important part... I don't think they're-"

"I get it," he cuts her off, a soft smile crosses his gentle features. "I don't think this is a good time for them to learn either what we both had gone through that time."

Her face falls. She knows he is still hurting somehow. Maybe not as much as how it was back when she was still considering what she wanted, but still. The mere reminder is enough for her to feel like she wants to whack her own head upside down.

"I'm sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am, how mortified I am for all the things I did back then. I was so blind, so stupid and-"

Again, he cuts her off - now in a much lovelier kind of way: he kisses her tenderly, stopping any word that was about to pour out of her. He knows her well enough this time.

"Forget it. You weren't-" he pauses, seemingly to be thinking for a while. "Okay, honestly, maybe you were kind of blind and stupid for not seeing me right away," he stops and laughs as she smack his arm. "But what matters now is that you're here, as my loving wife, even willing to be the Queen of Illéa as well as raising our children. I could never ask for anything more than that."

She smiles, looping her arms around his and snuggle closer to him. "You know I wouldn't trade it for the entire universe."

He returns the smile, pulling her even closer. "I know."

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_**A/N**__: Okay this is so random and... well idk, I needed to let this out. And I'm supposed to be working on my other stories but... ugh the writer's block is excruciating. Oh, and pardon my mistakes; this one is obviously unbetaed._

_Anyway, reviews would be highly appreciated! :)_


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